Porsche Design’s new Cannes moccasin to get Red Dot Award

The international 2011 Red Dot Award Product Design competition will be giving an award to Porsche Design’s new Cannes moccasin for its superior design quality in the ‘fashion and accessories’ category. The awards ceremony will take place in Essen, Germany, on July 4, 2011.

The shoes – dubbed the Porsche Design Cannes – are made in Italy in partnership with leather goods makers Muller & Meirer Lederwarenfabrik. The shoes represent a completely new take on the classic moccasin.

It uses an asymmetrical, racing-inspired sole profile and there is an aluminum insert in the sole, which enhances comfort and stability. Its construction is fundamentally different from other shoe designs. To make the shoes, the upper leather is stretched over the last from underneath to form the sole of the shoe.

The Cannes is distinctive as there is absolutely no seaming in the sole. Instead of the TPU sole being put on separately and sewn on, it has become an integral part of the vamp (upper leather), as the TPU is injected directly through the leather to come up a unique sole design.

The shoe gets additional strength and stability from a heel counter with the characteristic Porsche Design Allen screws.

Juergen Gessler, chief executive of the Porsche Design Group, quipped that they opted to concentrate on creating technically inspired products featuring timeless, functional and purist design. He noted that they don’t intend to follow fashion trends and that instead, they seek to create durable products. He remarked that while trends come and go, “design is forever.”

He added that they’re not the only ones within the company to be driven by such philosophy as the brand has already grabbed around 140 national and international design awards since it was launched in 1972.

The Porsche Design P´1700 Cannes -- an entirely brand new model for Porsche Design – represents a new interpretation of the classic moccasin. This first shoe collection from Porsche Design features both timeless and functional design.

Porsche Design P´1700 Cannes employs an asymmetrical, racing-inspired sole profile as well as an aluminum insert in the sole for better comfort and stability. Porsche Design manufactured these shoes in Italy, in cooperation with leather goods maker Müller & Meirer Lederwarenfabrik GmbH. Porsche Design was a recipient of an iF Product Design Award in 2010.

Press Release

New moccasin receives Red Dot Award 2011

The brand new P´1700 Cannes moccasin from luxury brand Porsche Design has scooped an award at the international Red Dot Award Product Design competition 2011. The shoes received the world-renowned Red Dot Award for superior design quality in the ‘fashion and accessories’ category. A total of around 1700 companies from 60 countries had applied for this year’s Red Dot Award, with over 4400 submissions. The awards ceremony will be held in Essen, Germany, on 4th of July 2011.

“We choose to focus on technically inspired products with timeless, functional and purist design”, says Dr Juergen Gessler, CEO of the Porsche Design Group. “Our aim is not to follow fashion trends, but to create durable products – because trends come and go, but design is forever. We are delighted that we are not the only ones to be driven by this philosophy. Since the brand was founded in 1972, we have already won around 140 national and international design awards, and we regard these as an expression of our commitment.”

The shoe collection for Spring/Summer 2011 represents a brand new model for the luxury brand. The Porsche Design P´1700 Cannes is a completely new take on the classic moccasin. The functional and timeless design expands on the first shoe collection from Porsche Design – which itself picked up an iF Product Design Award in 2010. The entire collection is characterised by the use of an asymmetrical, racing-inspired sole profile and a striking aluminium insert in the sole, which increases comfort and stability. The shoes are made in Italy in collaboration with leather goods manufacturers Müller & Meirer Lederwarenfabrik GmbH.

The typical moccasin construction is fundamentally different from other shoe designs. During manufacture, the upper leather is stretched over the last from underneath to form the sole of the shoe. The clever thing about the P´1700 Cannes is the complete lack of seaming in the sole, which is the key to obtaining that perfect moccasin style and elegant appearance. Rather than the TPU sole being fitted separately and sewn on, it forms an integral part of the vamp (upper leather), as the TPU is injected directly through the leather to create a unique sole design.

A heel counter with the characteristic Porsche Design Allen screws gives the shoe added strength and stability. Porsche Design is a luxury brand with a particular focus on technically inspired products. The Porsche Design brand was established in 1972 by Professor Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, and since then its products have been representative of functional, timeless and purist design combined with technical innovation. The product range includes watches, sunglasses, luggage, a sports and fashion collection, electronic products and a men’s fragrance line. All the brand’s products are designed at the Porsche Design Studio in Zell am See (Austria) and are available worldwide in the company’s own stores, franchise stores, shop-in-shops, high-end department stores and exclusive specialist retailers.